While they're away
by Loz06
Summary: NeilAndrea...all NeilAndrea. Sequel to 'While his wife's away'. Neil decides some time away will be good them, but for Andrea will it just be sneaking around in a different place.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: While they're away.

**Author**: Loz

**E-Mail**: loz06(at)yahoo(dot)com

**Rating**: M

**Category**: Neil/Andrea…all Neil/Andrea.

**Series**: First came 'At her door' then 'When the mighty fall' and thirdly 'While his wife's away.'

**Spoilers**: None or so general you're unlikely to notice.

**Archive (if applicable)**: www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net, I'm not sure of anywhere else relevant.

**Feedback**: The good, the bad and the very ugly it's all appreciated.

**Summary**: Neil decides some time away will be good them, but for Andrea will it just be sneaking around in a different place.

**Author's Notes**: Does anyone know what happened to the N/A MSN group?

**Disclaimers**: I only play while their owners are away, returned only slightly dishevelled.

* * *

Andrea is barely awake as she shuffles into the kitchen the next morning. "Coffee, coffee," she says to herself while making the hot drink. The sleep is rubbed from her eyes while standing next to her window watching the morning commuters below. 

A while later Neil's hand comes to rest on the small of her back. He too has a hot mug in his hand, following her stare. "Good morning." He replies after a while, lifting the mug to his lips.

It takes a moment for Andrea's voice to work and when it does she steps back into Neil, leaning the back of her head on his shoulder. "You feeling better this morning?" He asks sliding the strap of her top back up her shoulder. When she doesn't reply he stretches for the table, leaving his coffee to cool. His arms wrap around her waist enticing a reply from her. "You've been so up and down lately, one minute sending me packing back home and then wanting to be within earshot of phone conversations with my family."

"Sorry…" Andrea says softly and turns to look at him. She aches, every single part of her wants to tell him. "It's just that…" Her brain is saying tell him, her heart this isn't the time. She looks him in the eyes unable to make a decision; it's just going to have to be whatever comes out of her mouth. "It's a confusing time and if I'm honest with myself I don't know what I want at all."

"Except me," Neil says confidently. Andrea confirms her answer with a light kiss on the lips as she maintains eye contact. It's no lie, there's no doubt about how much she wants him.

"Getting away will be good for us." Neil concludes pulling her further into his warm embrace.

"How long does it take to get to this place?" Andrea asks once Neil has secured their luggage in the back of his car.

"I was told its forty miles north west of London but given I haven't been there before I'm not sure how long it takes." Andrea wonders about his last words, was it a 'look I'm not just recycling holidays I've taken with my wife' comment added for her benefit. She lets it slide curling sideways in the chair and closing her eyes as the car moves away from her flat.

It's not long before they pull up again and she feels Neil close to her, his cologne surrounds her, breath warm on her neck. The seat slides backwards underneath her and then Neil's presence is no longer felt. She reaches for his hand when the car moves on, her fingers sliding along from his elbow that rests on the storage compartment between the seats...after that it takes no time for her to fade from consciousness.

Gradually the buildings and harshness of the urban landscape are replaced with green grass and tall trees. When Andrea next wakes the car crawls past the brick entry walls that read Hartwell House. Up ahead the seventeenth century architecture building looms, dominating the countryside. Not making her consciousness known she waits to see what Neil's move will be. She listens as the car pulls up and the engine dies, stirring for good measure her eyes open just enough to see through her eyelashes. His wedding ring comes off and is placed securely out of sight where it will remain for the next two days. As she rubs her eyes and stretches she questions the validity of the 'getting away will be good for us' statement. Different location, same lies.

"We're here." Neil informs her when her eyes open completely.

* * *

While their luggage is whisked to their room, Andrea watches Neil pay cash for their accommodation. They'd never discussed money for this weekend and fleetingly she considers the status of her own credit card. More thought goes into the cash payment, more sneaking around and for a minute she considers whether the shine is rubbing off. 

"Have a nice stay Mr. and Mrs. Manson." The woman at the register wishes. The label doesn't sit well with Andrea, in part because you usually practice a new title in front of the mirror before having others use it and it's just another reminder she's not Mrs. Manson and she shouldn't be here.

Neil looks equally as uncomfortable as he takes her hand and they head upstairs.

The room is larger than Andrea's entire flat. It's furnished with antiques, paintings on the wall and a huge bed. The ceiling is twice her height easily and as she approaches the window the expansive grounds are revealed to her.

"What shall we do first?" Neil questions.

"Outside," is Andrea's only word as she remains fixed on the expansive grounds below.

Their luggage is left where it is, furniture untouched. They take the opportunity to be outside together, a rare luxury.

Hand in hand they head along the path that weaves through the grounds. Neither says anything, occupied with their thoughts. When Neil stops, Andrea continues walking, unlocking their connection.

"You know I love you Andrea." His voice makes her turn the words capture her attention.

"I love you too Neil." Her voice is cracked, steeped in emotion but she makes no movement to close the three paces gap between them.

"I know that." Neil replies and surprises her. "I mean, I know we've said it to each other before, I didn't know if you thought I was serious or…"

"How did you know…when?"

"When you came to the door that night without asking or saying why, when you came to the garden – You don't do those things if it's just sex."

"I had a feeling when you left one night." Neil finally closes the gap between them. "You left a note saying love you, love Neil." He sighs resting a hand on the back of her neck; it's she who kisses him first.

Back at the front desk after exploring the grounds Andrea picks up a postcard depicting the local area. She feels a little sad she can't send one to anyone; then again the man next to her can't either. Neil rejects the idea of a sightseeing taxi driven by a local, choosing a map of the area instead. They spend till the early hours of the evening exploring the manors, gardens, museums and the village. All the time together and displaying their affection for one another in public, it's the best day Andrea's had with Neil.

* * *

In an effort to ward off the early evening chill that has slinked its way into the room, Neil adjusts the heat. Picking up the phone he dials the internal number for the restaurant, securing a booking for the two of them later in the night. As he says thank you to the employee on the other end of the phone he senses Andrea's presence and puts the phone down hastily. 

"Finished exploring?" He smiles, moving over to kiss her on the forehead. Forcing a smile onto her face she says nothing, unable to suppress the small niggling feeling that rests in the pit of her stomach, the phone went down too fast. When he disappears into the bathroom she picks up the phone and hits redial. Suspicion is immediately replaced with guilt when the restaurant answers on the other end. On the edge of the bed she chastises herself, reminded that he's given her no reason not to trust him.

In front of the floor length mirror Neil adjusts his tie as he hears the hairdryer click off. Patting his pockets he leaves his phone on the bedside. Buoyed by nervous energy he stares out the window into the darkness, clicking and fidgeting with his hands.

Andrea stands in a cherry red dress she adores but is of a style that cannot definitively be placed in the last three years of fashion. That aside, Neil can't take his eyes from her, much the same as it was at Jim and June's wedding.

"You look stunning." He says softy, clearly besotted, Andrea smiles deeply and Neil thinks maybe he can see a blush.

"A jacket?" she questions flattening his lapels and straightening his tie before taking his arm.

"House rules," Neil says letting the door close behind them.

The prices concern Andrea as she glances down at the menu. Neil misses her concern, selecting a wine for them that like the meal goes on their account. As Neil smiles affectionately across the table at her an annoying voice interrupts with the new information that it was probably like this for Philippa in the beginning. She suppresses the voice right through dinner, as Neil slides the straps of the dress over her shoulders in the soft light of their room, as they make love and while they fall asleep in a bed that's big enough for four. Despite whatever this is that continues to pop up at inconvenient times – doubt, fear or reality speaking – Andrea sleeps as well as she ever has.

* * *

The next morning Andrea awakens slowly, her comfortable surrounds and the reality of not having to get up for anything or anyone allows her to remain in a semi conscious haze, head floating on the soft pillow. Next to her Neil snores loudly just once, jolting Andrea to consciousness and then to a laugh. She heads to a warm shower lathering the expensive soap over her skin with care. 

The bathrobes are fluffy and big enough to fit twice around her. When she opens the bathroom door the mist and heat from the shower flows into the bedroom, the sound of her padding feet on the carpet opens one of Neil's eyes then the other.

"I like you in that." He comments and Andrea does a little turn and pose.

"Well for two hundred pounds you can see me in it all the time." Andrea replies cheekily at the fact the robe is for sale.

"I'd rather pay two hundred to see you out of it." Neil says dropping his voice, soft but sexy.

"That can be arranged." Andrea replies dropping the robe and joining him in the bed to make love again.

When she next awakens her senses are assaulted by breakfast. The clock indicates she's been asleep for an hour. Neil is wearing the robe she dropped in a pile on the floor earlier and he's pushing a cart…a breakfast cart. Sitting on the bed she devourers croissants, toast, cereal and fruit washing it down with fresh juice, tea and coffee. She doesn't see Neil smile behind his newspaper at her voracious appetite.

"What are we going to do today?" Neil asks folding the newspaper and salvaging some toast.

"First I'm going to beat you at tennis." Andrea proclaims smiling.

"With what you've just eaten you'll be lucky to lift the racquet." Neil comes back; Andrea raises her eyebrows in a 'we'll see' statement.

Tennis runs smoothly but not professionally for a while till Neil starts to miss. The ribbing starts gently, thriving into comments about air swings and a hole in his racquet. As Andrea sails another serve past Neil he drops to the grass, flat on his back signalling surrender. As Andrea gives him a hand up he proposes a second round of competition on the croquet lawn.

Neither knows how to play and they end up hitting the balls around the lawn laughing. At one point it becomes billiards as they send the balls across the grass with the wrong end of the mallet.

"You know what we should do now?" Neil says gently tapping his mallet against hers.

"What's that?" Andrea asks with a tilt of her head. "Eat?"

Neil watches as she re-arranges her meal adding a sidepiece of bread that rests precariously on the edge of her full plate, a smiles spreads across his face.

"Decided on a light meal did you, sure you're eating enough." Andrea smiles wryly placing her fork down.

"It's your fault I have an appetite."

"Oh no, it was that red dress and the robe." Neil counters abandoning his meal.

"The robe was terry cloth, there's nothing sexy about terrycloth." Andrea laughs.

"I can't help it if I think you're beautiful in a paper bag." Andrea's face twists at the latest comment.

"So mushy," she smiles. "I love that dress."

"You wear it like you love it, confident…I love that you have a normal relationship with food." Neil picks up his fork again as Andrea pops a piece of bread into her mouth.

The afternoon is spent fishing an activity for Andrea that ceases to be interesting after a half hour, for Neil it holds many childhood memories. He knows Andrea has dark hair like her father and Andrea knows Neil got the long scar on his shoulder when he was ten playing football with his brothers. They delve deeper into one another as the afternoon wears on, Neil confesses the mistakes he's made in his job and Andrea tells him about life in Scotland but there comes a point where she has to lie.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

When Neil's phone rings later that evening, Andrea is grateful for the privacy of the bathroom. She waits staring into the mirror but not absorbing the reflection…from the first ring she knows who it is, the second strikes her with guilt. Neil's voice sometimes floats through the door and at other moments there's agonising silence. Either way Andrea doesn't want to be there for the conversation. She exits the bathroom avoiding eye contact with Neil, knowing he's attempting to establish it with her. He'll be worried because of what went on during the last phone call. His eyes will seek reassurance she's all right; something Andrea is not willing to give him. She tiptoes out of the room and closes the door quietly as if the phone is one big sound tunnel and anyone on the other end could immediately be alerted to her presence.

Outside the door Andrea stands, one hand still on the doorknob. She feels no sense of direction other than downstairs away from the room.

Downstairs in the gym is exactly where Neil finds her fifteen minutes later. A fine glistening of sweat covers her forehead as she pushes the bike hard. Hair is plastered to her brow, her eyes glassed over watching the burnt calorie count climb. The red polish on her toes catches his eye – he follows one toe on its circular path till his head swims he then allows her toes to blur into a large 'o' shape of the pedal spiral, it becomes almost hypnotic. He moves his focus to the muscles in her legs working as she adjusts something on the computer panel in front of her.

Her face combines a look of determination and pain, Neil wonders after absorbing this picture why she's punishing herself, when Andrea sees him walk over, her pace slows.

"What are you punishing yourself for?" He asks trying not to accuse.

"I'm not." Andrea replies levelly not giving anything away.

"It's not about the food comments."

"No," and this time she manages to look him in the eye.

"I've booked us in for tonight." Neil informs her as the pedals slow further.

"Come to these places and all you ever do is eat," Andrea comments bringing her feet to a stop.

"Just seems that way because we're actually enjoying it, rather than eating on the run." Neil passes her a courtesy towel; on the way back to the room she stays one step ahead.

Over her meal with the sauce she cannot pronounce, Neil rests his fork and brings up the topic of the following day. Andrea hasn't quite settled into back into her comfort zone after the phone call she snuck out of, consequently she finds the mentioning of the midday check out comforting.

Their conversations are distinctly terse from Andrea's end as the meal progresses although Neil tries; she thwarts him answering briefly whilst closing each topic to further discussion.

Staring at her dessert sorbet, watching the spoon sink deeper into the melting fruit ice, Neil once again brings her back to reality. This time it's his words that stun her out of her mood.

"I think we need a break from one another." Her first reaction is as though he reached across the table and slapped her for holding her cutlery incorrectly. Surely she wasn't about to lose him over something as minor as a bad mood.

Head up she searches for any clues on his face. As usual it reveals nothing, she'd give anything to see his eyes smile the way they do when she's around him at work.

"We've seen a lot of each other this week; we've gone from nothing…"

"Dates in the car park," Andrea corrects quietly.

"To living together…" The pause eats at Andrea from the inside out. "I made you a reservation in the day spa for tomorrow, thought you'd prefer that to following me around a golf course."

Andrea blinks back the tears as she realises he's not talking for good, just tomorrow. "Sounds wonderful," she says reaching to cover her hand with his.

* * *

They're always in tune with one another; separation makes Andrea yearn for Neil as much as she hates to admit it to herself. She's always hungry to make up for missed time whenever they reconnect and Neil is always in the mood on these occasions, now is no exception. As the lift slides to a stop on the first floor the elderly couple that enter clear their throats at the sight of Neil and Andrea engaged in a kiss. 

On the second floor they exit composed till the doors slide shut behind them, laughter echoes up and down the hall about the conservative couple in the lift. "Are you drunk?" Neil asks as Andrea continues to laugh till they reach their room door. Indignantly she tells him no.

She stops Neil as he slides their key into the lock. "Let's go swimming."

He tries not to stare openly at Andrea as she slips her bikini clad self into the spa, Neil doesn't want to betray the fact he'd rather be upstairs in the bedroom. A middle-aged couple occupies the other side of the spa; they talk in low tones which Andrea and Neil adopt.

"Sorry about before." Andrea says splashing Neil's dry shoulders.

"It was about the phone call I understand." He acknowledges kissing her briefly on the lips. They fall back into a comfortable silence, Andrea watches Neil as he sinks down into the water resting his head on the edge. Like this there are no lines on his face, the hard features he adopts at work have not appeared for two days, his body absent of stress. Smiling she slides down into the water joining him. Over the bubbling water Andrea barely notices the other couple get out of the spa.

Boldly she rests her hand on Neil's thigh, his eyes snap open on contact, confirming they are alone. He sits up with his lips hovering close to hers. "Let's go upstairs."

Giving no visible reaction Neil cups her face in his hand. "Close your eyes." He says softly. When Andrea complies he moves back slowly from her. "Count to five and come and get me."

The timer on the spa runs out as they slip seductively through the warm water. Neil splashes in front of Andrea to entice her closer or put her off. He runs his hand over her body as misdirection; neither says anything though Andrea's aware of his presence. Compared to the pool the spa is small but Neil manages to elude Andrea in their intimate game of cat and mouse till he wants to be caught.

In the middle Andrea catches him, winding her legs around his waist and arms around his neck. Her eyes remain closed as their kisses quickly brim over with passion. With hands and arms everywhere Neil's come to rest on the tie at the back of Andrea's bikini top. Breaking the kiss she looks him in the eye waiting to see what he does.

"Not here, upstairs." He answers, carrying her through the water to the edge.

* * *

_Have a relaxing day, love Neil _the stationary that lies on the pillow next to her reads. Andrea smiles settling back into the bed. _P.S. You'd make a sexy caddy._ On the back of the page is drawn a stick figure with a golf club in its hand, a speech bubble full of stars and hashes indicate expletives. The source of anger seems to be the trees and oval that is covered with pen dots. The arrow pointing to the stick figure says 'me' while underneath Andrea is drawn on a massage table with large hands above her back. She's dreaming of someone, another stick figure that can only be Neil. She laughs getting ready for her spa day. 

"What do you think of affairs?" Andrea asks the manicurist. She's a woman who looks to be in her mid thirties with fine sharp features. Thirty minutes ago Andrea was having any excess hair and then some waxed, plucked and pulled. Now she wonders if it's an inappropriate question.

"As in having one or someone having an affair behind your back?"

"Having one," Andrea says brightly trying to steer any thoughts that this is anything more than a topic of conversation from the beauticians mind.

"I think they're great." The beautician replies brightly, surprising Andrea. "I mean in the beginning it's fun, its exciting sneaking around, it's hot. I had an affair three years ago and in the beginning I felt alive, I couldn't work out why more people weren't doing this."

'So you'd recommend it then?" Andrea asks, deliberately putting confusion into her voice.

"Oh never," the beautician says filing at Andrea's index finger. "After a while I felt guilty and cheap and used. The sneaking around caused the guilt, the guy would never call unless he wanted to meet up and all the while I told myself he loved me and was going to leave his wife for me."

"So you ended it?" Andrea probes further.

"Without my husband knowing and I never told him. It's not like in the novels when an affair reinvigorates the relationship with your partner, it doesn't. But it did make me see the value of what I had and what a fool I'd been. I always knew there was something wrong in my marriage and an affair was the easy way to do something about it, discard the marriage and move onto another, the hard part I avoided was doing to the work to fix the relationship."

"Mmm-Hmm," Andrea replies levelly.

"If you don't mind me asking what bought this up?"

"Oh a friend of mine…" Andrea says casually. She keeps the conversation relaxed through the pedicure, facial and massage.

* * *

Although she hears the door to the room Andrea continues packing, her suitcase lying open on the bed gradually absorbing her clothes and toiletries. 

"All relaxed?" Neil asks sitting on the bed next to her.

"I've been waxed, wrapped, filed and massaged back to life." Andrea says putting the pants in her hand next to the suitcase and sitting with Neil.

"You're back sooner than I thought." She sighs swivelling to sit facing his side.

"Cut it short so we'd make check out, I was playing badly anyway, too much time in the office."

"Got your note," Andrea smiles encircling her arms around him and Neil laughs.

"We've got to get out of here." He reminds her, Andrea waiting a beat before releasing him from her embrace. She never wants to feel about Neil the way her beautician felt about her affair.

A twinge of sadness fills Andrea as Neil takes care of their account. It's back to reality and normality. Neil walks from the counter carrying a basket; he holds it up, "I thought we'd eat at that spot you saw on the way up."

For the last time Andrea knows of she takes Neil's hand in public as they walk to where their bags are being loaded into the car.

* * *

"How much do I owe you for the weekend?" Andrea asks as Neil slides his car into a park out the front of her flat. 

"Nothing," he says putting an arm around the back of her seat. "It's to make up for the car park dates."

"You shouldn't come upstairs because I want you to." Andrea says quietly looking up at the dark window of her flat. Neil coaxes her into a kiss with a hand on her chin. The kiss stars tenderly growing in its intensity.

"This week could be every week." Neil says brushing a thumb along her cheek.

"That's a long way off." Andrea says gently, kissing him again.

"Would it be so bad if it was every week?" Against his lips Andrea says no.

Kissing him goodbye for the last time she collects her things from the back and heads straight upstairs, unable to watch as he drives away. A few tears fall…she will miss him but this is the way it has to be. Inside the dark she stands against the wall, trying not to think of him messing up spaces, unpacking dirty clothes and dirtying dishes in his house so it looks like he's been living there all week.

Later as she unpacks she finds a blue shirt of Neil's still hanging in her wardrobe, socks and underwear, aftershave still in the bathroom along with the blue toothbrush…she smiles a little.

* * *

To be continued…In the next story. Story ID 2543013 


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